Ss. Cyril, Methodius Honored By Catholics Of Slavic Descent

April 25, 1985|by VALERIE HILDEBEITEL, The Morning Call

Allentown's Cathedral of St. Catharine of Siena was ripe with the traditions of holy rite, ethnic heritage and joyous celebration last night as hundreds of Catholics of Slavic descent gathered with Archbishop Pio Laghi, Apostolic Pro-Nuncio for the United States, to observe a liturgy honoring their patron saints, Cyril and Methodius.

The observance also marked the 1,100th anniversary of the death of Methodius.

The cathedral was awash with incense, color and song as the archbishop, accompanied by Allentown Bishop Thomas J. Welsh, Bishop Dominik Hrusovsky, rector at Ss. Cyril and Methodius Seminary, Rome, and Bishop Andrew Grutha, retired prelate of the Gary, Ind., diocese, joined more than 50 priests of Slavic descent for celebration of the Mass.

Bishop Hrusovsky is also Pope John Paul II's personal representative to Slavic people living outside Europe.

Joseph McShea, first bishop of the Allentown Diocese, was also present in the sanctuary last night.

Noting that he brought a special message from the Pope, the archbishop said that while the Pontiff "would like to be here tonight, through my presence he is here. You know how close you all are to the Holy Father."

Calling Cyril and Methodius "the fathers of faith and culture of the Slavic people," the archbishop told the congregation, the brother saints "built bridges between east and west and worked in union with the Church of Constantinople and Peter's See."

Methodius, the first bishop and archbishop of Great Moravia and his brother introduced a liturgy in the common language of the people during the 9th Century. They were responsible for translating liturgical text and holy scripture for common use by the people of their ministry.

"You, dear people of Slavic descent, are the caretakers of their work," the archbishop said last night.

"What a great gift you are to this country. You can point with pride to the steel mills you have built, to the coal mines you have dug into the earth, to the assembly lines you have worked."

Last night's celebration, he added, "served as an occasion for us and for all the church to reflect on the three basic teachings" found in the brothers' lives.

Cyril and Methodius were, he explained, examples of "fundamental courage in accepting the guidance of Divine Providence and despite their suffering, they never waivered."

In addition, their evangelistic work serves as a pattern for spiritual and intellectual discipline, particularly for the clergy.

"Our times are demanding and our response must meet the needs of the times," he said.

"Like good soldiers of Jesus Christ," Archbishop Laghi said, "Cyril and Methodius had their share of suffering. They were mistreated and misunderstood."

But the responsibility of their charge was unflagging, he explained, exhorting the congregation to "learn from them by following vocations from God. You should be ready to answer the call."

Great ideas motivated the brothers, he added. "Proclamation of the word, unity in faith and pastoral commitment - the church in the United States needs these ideas and each and every one to live these ideas."

Members of the congregation, dressed in folk costumes representing their Polish, Windish, Slovak and Byzantine ancestries, presented the archbishop with several personal gifts.

Among them were a valaska, a type of ax symbolizing freedomfought for the Slavic equivalent of the legendary Robin Hood; pysanky, intricately decorated Easter eggs from Bethlehem and Lansford; engraved crystal from Slovakia; a straw mosaic of Our Lady of Czestochowa from Polish parishes, and an icon of Cyril and Methodius.

At the outset of the ceremony, Catherine Radocha and Rose Skrabak, both of Lansford, presented the archbishop with bread and salt, symbols of life and wisdom.

During the ceremony, members of the congregation offered individual prayers in Polish, Slovak and Windish for youth, the elderly, church and government officials, an increase in vocations and peace and freedom for people in Europe.

The celebration was punctuated by ethnic hymns sung by the cathedral choir and the congregation.